A Texas-Made Match

She surveyed the room then must have been satisfied because she allowed herself to collapse onto a kitchen chair. “I bet you didn’t miss me.”

“Of course I did.” He sat across from her.

She shook her head. “You didn’t but that’s fine. You were busy bringing outlaws to justice. I wouldn’t have missed me, either.”

“It wasn’t as exciting as you seem to think.”

“What was it like, then?”

“It was like everything I’ve tried to forget.”

That quieted her for a moment before she smiled sympathetically. “Well, you’re home now. You can forget as much as you want.”

Home. That one word sounded so sweet to his ear. He gave a solemn nod. “I was already planning on it.”

“I’ve been wondering—” she fiddled with one of the flowers “—why do the Rangers call you Lawless?”

Lawson stared at Ellie, then frowned. “Now, where did you hear that?”

“Nathan sold a few horses to the Rangers. While he was in Austin, he asked about you. They told him you were one of the best Rangers on the force. They also told him you’d picked up the moniker Lawless. Why?”

He averted his gaze from her questioning eyes. “They assigned me the worst criminals, Ellie. Sometimes that meant I had to take risks, be ruthless and do things I wouldn’t dream of in any other situation. I never broke protocol but I’ve certainly bent my fair share of rules.”

She frowned. “They called you that because you bent a few rules?”

He gave a slow nod. She narrowed her eyes. It was clear she knew he wasn’t letting her in on the whole truth. Well, that was too bad because he wasn’t about to tell her that almost the entire Ranger force thought he’d make a better outlaw than a Ranger, and loved to tease him about it. He didn’t find it particularly funny. Nor did he want his name to be associated with the term outlaw, especially if some of those foggy memories of his childhood were accurate. He figured it was time for a change of subject.

“Now it’s my turn to ask a question. What was so important about me not being on that list of yours?” He asked the question before he could second-guess the wisdom of pursuing something that had upset her so much earlier.

Ellie was quiet for a long moment as if debating whether or not to tell him before she surprised him again by glancing up with teasing eyes. “Now that really is a dangerous question. You’ll probably wish you hadn’t asked, but since you want to know so badly, I’ll tell you.”

He gave her a nod. “I’ll take my chances.”

She leaned forward. “The whole point of the list was to find out who my match might be, right?”

“Right.”

“Well, after I’d gone through the list without finding anyone, Ms. Lettie took the paper and looked it over. She told me I’d left someone off but she wouldn’t tell me who it was.”

He found himself leaning forward, as well. “That was me, right? I was the one you left off because I wasn’t in town.”

“Exactly.” She sat back as if that settled everything.

Lawson stared at her. “You’ll have to explain this to me, Ellie, because I still don’t get it.”

“You were the one.”

“The one what?”

Ellie laughed. “Lawson, really. Think about it. You were the only man left.”

“So?”

“So—” her voice took on a bit of exasperation “—Ms. Lettie and Kate, they think that you and I...well, that we would be...what did Kate say? Oh, that we could be very good...together.”

Lawson stared at her for a long moment as understanding slowly dawned. “What?”

She smirked. “That’s what I said.”

He tried to wrap his mind around that thought. Honestly, it wasn’t as hard as it should have been. He swallowed. His thoughts raced back to his recent interactions with Ellie—from his impulsive act of catching her in his arms at first sight to his pretend proposal. If he was honest with himself, he’d have to admit that he hadn’t been treating Ellie like a sister. At least, not since he’d gotten back. In fact, if it were some other woman, he might have seen his behavior as flirtatious.

He ducked his head to keep her from reading his thoughts. He was crazy. He had to be. There was no way he could be attracted to little Ellie. Of course, she wasn’t so little anymore. How old was she now? Twenty-one? She was pretty much a woman by now, wasn’t she? His voice came out a little strained. “Ma and Kate really said that about us being good together?”

She sent him a curious glance. “It’s funny but you don’t seem nearly as shocked as I was. I thought they were completely ridiculous.”

A wry grin lifted his lips. “I remember.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh, that isn’t to cast any sort of disparagement on you. I didn’t mean that at all.”

“I didn’t think so.”

“Good. I mean I’m sure some gal would be lucky to have you. I just can’t imagine—” Her face twisted into a strange expression, as though she was desperately trying to conjure up some image of the two of them together.

He tried not to let that bother him...but why was it so hard for her to imagine? He shook his head. They were friends—nearly family. So Ellie had grown up. That didn’t mean anything had to change between them or even that it should. He met her gaze with a grin. “It is pretty hard to imagine, isn’t it?”

Her green eyes started dancing. “Well, since you won’t have me, either, I guess I’d better start waiting at the train station for some handsome stranger to disembark. That looks to be my best bet.”

He laughed along with her though he had to admit it was a bit forced. The thought of some stranger sweeping into town and carrying Ellie off didn’t sit well with him. It was just his protective nature at work, he assured himself. That’s all it was and nothing more. He was here to work. He was here to start over.

Most important, he was here to forget.

Chapter Three

Ellie thanked Mr. Johansen then tucked the small brown-paper-wrapped package under her arm. “Lawson and I will be back with the wagon to pick up the list of goods Kate ordered.”

Lawson had moved out to the ranch less than a week ago and ever since then, Ellie hadn’t been able to turn around without finding him nearby. She knew it was mostly due to the fact that they now lived on the same ranch. Still, a part of her wondered if a little tiny bit of it was through Kate’s machinations. After all, Kate usually liked coming into town but today had sent Ellie in her stead. Nathan sent Lawson and so they had gone to town together with express directions to eat lunch there.

Guilt sprang onto her conscience. Of course, Nathan was busy, which was why he’d hired Lawson in the first place, and Kate had her hands full tending three children too young to go to school. Perhaps she really was imagining it. Mr. Johansen’s voice pulled her from her short reverie. “I’ll have the boys waiting by the loading dock in about thirty minutes.”

Ellie nodded and managed to make it all the way out the door and a few steps down the sidewalk before she tore open the brown package. The colorful cover of the dime novel looked even more intriguing than it had in the catalog. She opened the cover to reveal the first page and found herself in the midst of a stagecoach robbery. Her heart skipped a beat. She carefully read each word as she stepped onto Main Street’s raised wooden sidewalk.

Suddenly, a hand caught her arm and firmly pulled her to a stop. Ellie glanced up from the page only to realize that if not for the restraining hand on her arm, her next step would have sent her tumbling off the sidewalk. Her eyes widened then traveled to the man who stood slightly beside her with his hand still protectively on her arm. Lawson shook his head. “You really need to be more aware of your surroundings.”

She wrinkled her nose at him as he led her to the shiny display window of the mercantile. Pointing at it, he leaned toward her. “Look at the reflections in the window.”

The angle of the bay window reflected a clear image of the things behind her—including a man standing next to a tall chestnut mare tied to the nearest hitching post. “Donovan.”

“He appeared just as I left you to walk to the livery. He seemed content to stay on his horse until you exited the mercantile...alone.”

“He always does that. I think it’s the only way he can work up the nerve to talk to me.” She laughed at his skeptical frown. “He’s harmless.”

“Well, someone else might not be.”

Her gaze shot to his hazel eyes. “Am I your latest assignment, Lawson? And here I thought you’d left the Rangers.”

“So did I.” He tucked her hand in his arm and led her across the street. They both jumped at the sound of Maddie’s joyful greeting through the café’s large front window. The woman waved at her as though she’d just seen her long-lost best friend. I understand that she’s grateful that my list motivated Jeff enough to talk to her, but isn’t this a little too much?

The rest of the folks in the café turned to look. She could feel their eyes tracking her as she followed Lawson inside. She glanced around the room. Everyone was smiling at them. An entire table composed of Judge Hendricks, Mr. Potters and Joshua Stone lifted their coffee cups in a congratulatory toast. Lawson seemed just as bewildered as she did by the positive response. “Ellie, why is everyone smiling?”

“I don’t know.”

Maddie couldn’t stop grinning as she led them to their table. “This is so wonderful! I don’t know why no one thought of it before. You two are just perfect for each other. Y’all had us fooled into thinking you were just friends but now we all know better, don’t we?”

Ellie felt her cheeks warm. She darted a glance at Lawson before she met Maddie’s gaze. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, you don’t have to be coy, dearie.” She patted Ellie’s shoulder. “The whole town knows about your secret engagement. Don’t worry. We haven’t said a word to your families.”

“Our secret what?” Lawson’s question came out rather loud.

Maddie picked up the menu from the table. “Mrs. Greene saw you propose, Lawson. It’s been all over town for days.”

Ellie’s gaze flew to Lawson. She glared at him. “Mrs. Greene saw you propose.” She couldn’t imagine anyone worse to have seen Lawson’s little prank. Mrs. Greene was, ironically, the biggest gossip in town and one of the strictest moralists. Not to mention that she’d always held a particular grudge against Ellie for all of her childhood pranks.

Lawson seemed to be at a loss for words but guilt was written all over his face. A quick glance around the room told her everyone was watching so she stood to her feet. “Everyone, please listen closely then spread the news like wildfire. Lawson and I are not, nor have we ever been, engaged.”

Mrs. Cummins set down her coffee with a thud. “But Mrs. Greene saw him kneel down and ask you.”

“I was joking.”

Maddie frowned at Lawson. “What an awful thing to joke about.”

Ellie sent him a look seconding that, then turned to the crowd again. “Mrs. Greene also should have noticed that I punched him in the arm afterward. That’s obviously not how a woman says yes to a man.”

Judge Hendricks cleared his throat. “Well, Ellie, you’ve always been sort of a tomboy.”

“As a child, not as an adult...usually.” She sank to her chair. Maddie studied the two of them. “So y’all aren’t engaged?”

“No,” they answered together, setting the whole café to rumbling.

“Well, don’t that beat all,” Mr. Potters muttered.

“A real shame, that’s what it is,” Mrs. Cummins announced.

“Well, folks, this just isn’t right.” Maddie put a hand on Ellie’s and Lawson’s shoulders. “These two would make a fine couple, wouldn’t they?”

“The best!” someone yelled and others chimed in to agree.

Ellie rose to her feet again. “Now, hold on. I think I’d know if Lawson and I would make a fine couple, wouldn’t I?”

People reluctantly agreed.

“Then you can trust me when I say we aren’t a couple.”

People adamantly disagreed. Maddie held up a stilling hand to her patrons. “Ellie’s right. We can trust her on this. You just tell us who you matched Lawson with on the list of yours and we’ll let this all go.”

“Oh.” Ellie swallowed then glanced down at Lawson. His expression said they were done for, which was discouraging and slightly insulting at the same time. Her fingers clenched the side of her chair. “Well, he wasn’t on the list so that can’t be considered. Now—”

“That explains why you couldn’t find the one meant for you.” Maddie caught her hand. “He wasn’t on the list, darlin’, but he was your match.”

“Don’t I have something to say about that?” Lawson seemed more amused than he should have been in this situation, especially when a firm “no” echoed through the café. Ellie eyed him. Why wasn’t he more upset?

“We can’t abandon Ellie in her time of need.” Maddie released them and turned toward her patrons. “Didn’t Mrs. Greene say that Ellie deserves this after everything she’s done for the town?”

“Mrs. Greene said that?” Ellie turned to Lawson. “Why would Mrs. Greene say that?”

“That is strange,” he admitted with the beginnings of a grimace.

Maddie ignored them. “Well, that settles it.”

Lawson jumped up. “Wait. That settles what? What’s going on?”

Oh, now Lawson decides to look nervous.

“You just leave that to Peppin, folks.” Mrs. Cummins said. “You just leave that to Peppin.”

Just like that, it was over. Maddie promised to bring them each a special on the house. The other patrons went back to their food. Ellie and Lawson were left to stare about in shock.

Ellie spoke first. “I have chills and I’m not sure why.”

* * *

Lawson understood her feelings exactly. He didn’t have chills but he did feel a strange foreboding settle in his gut. He’d done his best to ignore what he’d convinced himself were just fleeting flashes of attraction to Ellie. Living in the old cabin on the Rutledge ranch for the past week or so hadn’t made that easy. Especially since he tended to take his meals with the Rutledge family—and Ellie, train the horses with Nathan—and Ellie, complete barn chores with Nathan, Nathan’s son Timothy—and Ellie. She seemed to be everywhere at once being helpful or kind or getting into mischief.

He’d almost wondered why Nathan hadn’t just increased Ellie’s responsibilities around the farm rather than hire him as foreman. After all, her talent for settling down high-strung horses was remarkable. Then he discovered that Nathan didn’t only need the talented horse trainer he had in Ellie, but also the brawn her slim frame didn’t carry and the business acumen she seemed to intentionally avoid.

Once he settled down into the new job and got used to being in Peppin again, his perception of her would go back to normal. It was obvious Ellie didn’t see him as anything other than a friend, almost a brother. And that was the way it was supposed to be. He wasn’t about to pin his heart on a girl who would no doubt reject him. The last thing he needed right now was for the town to bluster in and make things even more confusing. Unfortunately, it looked as if that was exactly what was about to happen.

He shook his head. “Well, Ellie, it looks like all of your matchmaking efforts are about to be repaid to you.”

“Courtesy of Mrs. Greene. Why does that sound so threatening?” She shivered. “I think she incited this on purpose. Probably because she knows you’d never...”

He almost let that comment slide before deciding against it. “I’d never what?”

She lifted her chin to continue solemnly, “No matter how hard matchmakers might try, you’re the one man who’d never fall in love with me. You’re the only man in town unrelated to me who has a legitimate reason to treat me like a little sister.”

“Ellie.” Not knowing what else to say that wouldn’t make them both feel more awkward, he covered her hand to comfort her.

She shook her head as her large green eyes filled with tears. “No, it’s true. I tell you, it’s true. She saw me punch you afterward. She knew what that meant. She did this on purpose to get back at me for who knows what.”

“Then don’t let her.” He handed her his handkerchief in case one of the tears tried to escape. “Don’t let her know it bothers you. Just go about your life as if it doesn’t matter to you. We won’t let it determine our behavior one way or the other.”

She nodded. She pulled in a deep breath, seeming to will back her tears. Maddie approached to serve their food and eyed their clasped hands. They immediately pulled apart. She smiled, as the town’s plan was working already. Lawson’s gaze flew to Ellie when she gasped. “What’s wrong?”

She straightened abruptly. “There’s Mrs. Greene. I should talk to her.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He stared after her as she strode out the door. It clanged shut with a plaintive cry of the bell. He suddenly realized everyone was watching him. He stared right back at them. Maddie gathered Ellie’s plate. “I’ll box it up for her and she can eat it on the way home.”

“Thank you.”

“Fine way to start a romance,” she muttered as she walked away.

Chapter Four

Ellie frowned as she hurried across Main Street toward where her childhood nemesis stood outside of Sew Wonderful Tailoring. For years, she’d assumed her antagonistic relationship with Mrs. Greene wasn’t something worth contemplation. Now she wasn’t so sure.

Perhaps if she’d apologized for her mischievous youth years ago instead of just letting the pattern continue, she wouldn’t be in this mess now. The funny thing was that Ellie didn’t believe it was entirely her fault. She’d sensed Mrs. Greene’s disapproval for as long as she could remember. Once she’d realized nothing she did changed the woman’s opinion of her, she’d decided she might as well live up to those low expectations and have fun while doing it. It had been a silly, childish decision for sure, and one that had gotten her into scads of trouble.

“When I was a child I spoke as a child but when I became an adult I put childish things away.”

Isn’t that in the Bible somewhere? Her heart beat rapidly in her throat even as her steps hastened in resolve. “Mrs. Greene, may I speak to you for a moment in private?”

The woman slowly turned from surveying the window to look at Ellie with a measuring stare. Her response came slowly but with precision. “Certainly.”

“The courtyard is always quiet,” she suggested. At Mrs. Greene’s nod, she led the woman toward the courthouse then stopped beside one of the courtyard’s benches. This was going to be either the wisest or the stupidest things she’d ever done. She cleared her throat. “I’d like to apologize for the way I behaved when I was younger—”

Mrs. Greene laughed. She laughed! “You must want something from me pretty badly if this is the approach you’re taking. What is it, then?”

Taken off guard, Ellie pulled in a steadying breath before replying. “M-Maddie at the café says you’ve been telling everyone that I’m engaged to Lawson.”

“Yes?”

“But I’m not!”

Mrs. Greene sniffed disdainfully. “Well, of course you are. I saw him get down on his knee and propose. It’s pure nonsense keeping the engagement hidden when you know both families will approve. Why should I keep your secret for you?”

“It isn’t a secret! I mean, it isn’t an engagement!” Ellie shook her head to clear her confusion. “Lawson was just teasing me—he proposed as a joke. As soon as he was done, I punched him on the shoulder and then we both had a good laugh about it. That was it! Or it should have been, except that you had to go and tell everyone. Now the whole town has gotten the wrong idea.”

“Have they?” Mrs. Greene tilted her head. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure! I thought it was obvious we were joking and that you were just telling people it was real as a prank. You know, like the ones I used to pull.” She probably shouldn’t have reminded Mrs. Greene about the pranks. The woman’s face turned a little red so Ellie rushed on. “I just thought that if we talked—if I apologized for the way I used to behave—maybe you could tell people that you were mistaken.”

“Hmm.” There was a long pause as Mrs. Greene pondered the matter. “No.”

Ellie was so stunned that it took her a minute before she could speak. “No?”

“I don’t believe I will.” Mrs. Greene’s laugh was tinged with pity. “Did you really think a half-sincere apology would fix everything? Oh, no. I think it’s high time someone gave you a taste of your own medicine.”

“What medicine? I don’t spread false stories about other people.”

“No. You prefer true ones,” Mrs. Greene said before she paled slightly then hurried on. “Never mind, Ellie. I accept your apology but I doubt anything I say will stop this train now that it’s on the tracks. Everyone will begin meddling in your life just as you’ve always meddled in theirs. We’ll see how you like it.”

Ellie surveyed the woman carefully then shook her head slowly. “That isn’t what you meant about getting a taste of my own medicine. What true story do you think I spread?”

“I really must go.”

Ellie stopped the woman with a quick hand on her arm. “No, Mrs. Greene. I think you’d better stay and tell me what this is all about. I’ve always sensed you didn’t like me. I’d like to know why.”

Mrs. Greene stared at her. “You really don’t remember?”

She shook her head. “Should I?”

Ire momentarily rose in the woman’s eyes. She gave a tight nod then sat down on the bench. “I daresay you should. I certainly do.”

Ellie waited as Mrs. Greene gathered her thoughts. Finally, the woman met her gaze. “I used to be good friends with your mother. You remember that, at least.”

“Vaguely.” She took the seat at the far side of the bench. “I was only eight when they died.”

“I know,” Mrs. Greene said quietly. “Once I went to visit your mother. You were home from school because you weren’t feeling well. You’d fallen asleep on the settee as your mother and I talked, so I felt it was all right if I shared a confidence. Your mother was so sweet. She even prayed that I would accept the fact that God’s love had covered my sins. That was the end of it, or so I thought.

“The next day my daughter came home crying.” Mrs. Greene surveyed her scathingly. “You hadn’t been asleep after all. You’d heard every word and repeated it to your friends at school. The whole town knew in a matter of hours.”

Ellie frowned in confusion. “Knew what?”

Mrs. Greene’s words were quiet, steady, yet bore a trace of shame. “I bore my daughter out of wedlock.”

Ellie gasped—not at Mrs. Greene’s words but at what that meant about her. “You mean, I told everyone that?”

“You certainly did.”

“Oh, no. I’m so sorry!”

The woman fiddled with her reticule. “Your parents came to me a few days later and apologized. They said you repeated the story without knowing what it meant. Unfortunately, the rest of the town did.”

“My parents...” she murmured as she blinked away a vague semblance of a memory. It returned with vengeance. She remembered overhearing the conversation, telling the older girls and feeling so important when they gasped. She also recalled the disappointment on her parents’ faces when she’d admitted it. The disappointment in their voices...

That vague feeling of guilt overcame her with startling intensity. Quickly, she pushed it away—blocked those memories from her thoughts. She didn’t want to examine them. She didn’t want to remember. She rose abruptly from the bench to look down at Mrs. Greene. “Don’t tell me any more. I understand. I’m sorry. I—I don’t want to talk about this ever again.”

Odd, how Mrs. Greene didn’t seem startled by her reaction. She just nodded slowly. As if she knew something Ellie didn’t.

“Everyone has something to be ashamed of, Ellie,” Mrs. Greene said quietly. “You exposed my secret and humiliated me and my family in front of the whole town. But you’re not innocent, either. The things you’ve done have brought down terrible consequences on your family, too.”